Welcome back, RotoBallers! Below you will find part one of our Week 5 NFL matchups & fantasy football start/sit analysis for the 2016 NFL football season. Pierre Camus (@pfunk00) breaks down the second half of the Week 5 matchups to help you prepare your lineups to win this week. Be sure to also check out part one of this week's matchup analysis by Ben Ruppert (@Ben_Ruppert_21).

Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down individual matchups and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high-risk/high-reward players, as well. It’s essential to analyze the weekly NFL match-ups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts.

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out FantasyAces DFS contests. New users that sign up on Fantasy Aces and make a $20 deposit will receive RotoBaller's full season NFL Premium Pass for free (including Premium DFS), normally a $59.99 value. Expert DFS research, sample lineups, matchup ratings and lots more!

 

Week 4 Recap

Greatest Hits: Michael Crabtree (WR, OAK), Will Fuller (WR, HOU), DeMarco Murray (RB, TEN)

Crabtree hit paydirt three times, rewarding owners who chose him over talented counterpart Amari Cooper in daily leagues (thank you, Mr. Crabs!). Will Fuller has actually outplayed DeAndre Hopkins in terms of fantasy points this season and doesn't seem to be slowing down at all. Likewise, DeMarco Murray's usage remains steady and he continues to find the end zone, regardless of opponent.

Greatest Misses: Matt Ryan (QB, ATL), Matthew Stafford (QB, DET), Derek Carr (QB, OAK)

It wasn't my best week for picking quarterbacks, apparently. Matt Ryan proved he and the Falcons offense are for real in an offensive outburst nobody expected. Derek Carr didn't put up huge yardage, but he took advantage of the Ravens' secondary by tossing four TD passes. As far as Stafford and the whole Lions team, all I can say is "What happened??" They made the Bears defense look a whole lot better than they actually are. Personally, Cam Newton and Dwayne Washington were also big disappointments for me, but since they each left early due to injury, they don't exactly qualify as busts.

 

Matchup Analysis for NFL Week 5

Jets @ Steelers - Sunday 10/9 @ 1:00 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Antonio Brown (WR, PIT) - Tough call, this is. Brown continues to distance himself from the pack in the title for best receiver in the league, as well as most reliable fantasy player. He beat reigning Defensive ROY Marcus Peters for two scores on Sunday night, giving him four TD in four games. Anyone who is still under the impression that Revis Island poses a major threat hasn't seen him play this year. Revis was torched by A.J. Green in Week 1 and hasn't even graded out as a top-100 CB this season.

Sammie Coates (WR, PIT) - Coates has recorded a catch of at least 40 yards in every game this season. The Jets are solid in the run game, but not so much against the pass. A big play threat like Coates should have a spot in fantasy lineups anywhere you need a WR3 or high-end flex.

Jesse James (TE, PIT) - The Outlaw has been simply adequate as a replacement for the retired Heath Miller and the injured Ladarius Green, posting 12 catches for 85 yards and two TD. With so many weapons in Pittsburgh, James won't ever be force-fed the ball and remains mostly TD-dependent. That said, he has a good chance of reaching the end zone as the Jets allow the seventh-most fantasy PPG to the tight end. With Bell back and Brown attracting double teams, James could easily break loose for a score. He is a TE2 with upside that could be used as a fill-in for Travis Kelce, Jimmy Graham or Antonio Gates owners.

Bilal Powell (RB, NYJ) - Matt Forte's status remains a mystery, but as long as he is limited in practice, Powell's value remains moderately high. Powell already started seeing an uptick in usage the last couple of weeks and could build on his nine targets from Week 4. His value mainly lies in PPR leagues, where he should be almost universally owned. Now that bye weeks are in full effect, there's a good chance you can find a flex spot for him somewhere.

Matchups We Hate

Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, NYJ) - A lot of Jets fans are probably putting Fitz in the hate category these days, but his season isn't lost yet. After his first four games last season, he had an unimpressive 7/6 TD/INT ratio before finishing the season strong. While he isn't as bad as his stats suggest, this probably isn't the week he gets it going either. With Eric Decker still out and the Steelers defense in lock-down mode last week, it's best to keep avoiding him until the schedule softens in Weeks 8-10.

Notable Players

Le'veon Bell (RB, PIT) - He didn't take long to reclaim the RB1 throne, did he? Bell didn't show any signs of rust as he rattled off 144 rushing yards against KC. The Jets front seven is much more formidable than the Chiefs, as they allow the second-fewest rush yards per game at 70.2. Bell is obviously a must-start regardless, but he may find less room to run and will rely on a bigger role in the passing game to contribute.

 

Titans @ Dolphins - Sunday 10/9 @ 1:00 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Devante Parker (WR, MIA) - In a disappointing all-around performance for Miami last Thursday night, Parker saw just three targets, pulling in two for 20 yards. The Dolphins will need to get him more involved and that could very well happen in Week 5. If Parker finds himself matched up against Perrish Cox for any length of time, he could flash his big play ability. Cox has a position rank of 111 among all CB, according to ProFootballFocus, and was torched by rookie Will Fuller last week. Despite last week's debacle, he may be worth the risk this week in a more favorable matchup.

Jarvis Landry (WR, MIA) - Once again, nothing not to love about Landry this week. He has become one of the league's most effective slot players at getting open, which explains why he is yet to see less than 10 targets in a game. Tennessee has been solid against the pass overall, but only six teams have allowed more receptions to wide receivers so far. Landry is a solid bet to collect eight or more receptions, which makes him a WR2 in PPR leagues. His touchdown output is still holding him back from elite status, but if he can turn in a big play or find the end zone, he could be well worth every penny in DFS as well.

DeMarco Murray (RB, TEN) - Murray keeps on keeping on, scoring two more TD and nearly posting another 100 yard game last week in a tough road game against the Texans (albeit without J.J. Watt). Murray might actually be better than he was in 2014 with Dallas, as he has produced a 33% increase in receiving Y/G, while rushing for a better average as well (5.2 Y/A in 2016 vs. 4.7 Y/A in 2014). He is an RB1 each and every week and the Dolphins' mediocre run defense shouldn't impede him much.

Delanie Walker (TE, TEN) - If you had suspicions that a 32 year-old tight end in a run-heavy offense might see a significant statistical decline, congratulations. If you held out on the TE position and were stuck with Walker, you surely have been disappointed. However, Walker could get some opportunities on Sunday as the Fins have not been excellent against the tight end. More significantly, new #1 receiver Tajae Sharpe has become less dependable, which could lead QB Marcus Mariota to revert to his favorite target from last season.

Matchups We Hate

Derrick Henry (RB, TEN) - As long as DeMarco Murray keeps trucking, Henry will remain in park. The second-round pick only carried the ball three times last week and has been a complete non-factor in the passing game with three receptions all year. In anything other than shallow 8-10 team leagues, he is a must-stash because of Murray's injury history, but he doesn't belong in any starting lineups for the time being.

Tajae Sharpe (WR, TEN) - The rookie has overachieved all preseason and put up solid stats in the season opener, but a sharp decline is underway. Sharpe's reception totals have dropped each week (7, 4, 3, 2), along with his Catch%, which was a lowly 28.6% in Week 4. This matchup looks tasty on paper, as the Dolphins' cornerbacks are barely NFL-caliber, but Sharpe did very little in back-to-back tilts with Detroit and Oakland and has yet to score a touchdown. He ranks as a WR4 this week, despite the matchup.

Dolphins RBs not named Arian Foster (RB, MIA) - The four-headed monster may not appear this week, but if Arian Foster doesn't go, which seems to be the case, you are looking for Jay Ajayi or Kenyan Drake to suddenly separate himself from the pack. Drake has big play potential but is nothing more than a dynasty stash at the moment. Ajayi may lose his grip on a roster spot entirely if he doesn't show something soon. Don't go there.

Notable Players

Ryan Tannehill (QB, MIA) - It doesn't appear as if his head coach is quite so enamored with him any more. Coach Adam Gase has been defending Tannehill since the moment he arrived in Miami, but even he is running out of excuses. Tannehill couldn't even produce any garbage time stats last week, as per his M.O. The Titans have allowed four passing TD in the first four games of 2016, so pickings will be slim. Despite my personal feelings, Tannehill doesn't make the hate category this week because the Dolphins could easily find themselves in pass-only mode with no semblance of a run game to help out.

 

Falcons @ Broncos - Sunday 10/9 @ 4:05 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Emmanuel Sanders (WR, DEN) - Sanders doesn't seem to care who is playing quarterback in Denver. Even with rookie Paxton Lynch taking over last week, Sanders put up eight catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. Opposing CB Desmond Trufant is highly respected, but his position grade has gradually declined the past four seasons and the Falcons have given up the fifth-most fantasy points to receivers this year. Sanders figures to be a strong WR2 no matter who is at QB.

Julio Jones (WR, ATL) - Do you love receivers who put up 300 yard games? This is the expected letdown game after a huge performance last week. Jones' receiving output is about as easy to predict as the path of an incoming Hurricane, with his last three weeks of yardage looking like a Dow Jones chart (106, 16, 300). It's true that Denver has the top ranked pass defense in the league, but Jones will likely be matched up against Bradley Roby, which is excellent news for Jones owners. Temper expectations though - he may only go for 200 in this one.

Matchups We Hate

Mohamed Sanu (WR, ATL) - Sanu draws the tougher assignment this week, believe it or not, against Chris Harris Jr. A lingering shoulder injury still casts doubt about his participation in the game altogether, but if he does play, he should be avoided completely.

Tevin Coleman (RB, ATL) - You may have heard about Coleman's sickle cell affliction that could potentially affect him in the Mile High altitude this coming week. Apparently he will play as usual, but will be closely monitored throughout the game. That aside, facing the top defense in the league will put a damper on this early season waiver wire darling. Coleman's bread-and-butter comes in the pass game, but the Broncos effectively shut out similar RBs in Charles Sims and Gio Bernard the past two weeks. Sit this one out with Coleman.

Jacob Tamme (TE, ATL) - The Broncos haven't allowed a TD to a tight end yet this season and Tamme doesn't figure to be the one to break that streak. He has never been a high volume receiver. Even as the Falcons put up 45 and 48 points the past two weeks, Tamme's targets have dropped to four and two in those games. Throw in a hip injury that could limit him this week and Tamme should be avoided.

Notable Players

Trevor Siemian (QB, DEN) - The surprising second-year man out of Northwestern hit his first roadblock as a starter when he suffered a left shoulder injury last week. Coach Gary Kubiak is making it sound as if Siemian will be playing this Sunday, but we have yet to see how he handles playing through discomfort. The potential for a big passing day against the Falcons is there, but Siemian isn't yet a must-start QB that you want to gamble with if you have other options.

Matt Ryan (QB, ATL) - On paper, this matchup doesn't seem to favor Ryan at all. It's hard to bench someone after a 500-yard game that keeps him first on the passing yards list among NFL QBs, however. The Broncos may choose to take away Jones, leaving other receivers open. Or they could stuff the run and challenge the wideouts to beat their Pro Bowl corners one-on-one. Certainly don't expect a repeat of last week, but Ryan is nearly unbenchable at this point unless you have another really solid option with a better matchup like Aaron Rodgers.

 

Chargers @ Raiders - Sunday 10/9 @ 4:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love

DeAndre Washington (RB, OAK) - It appears that "starting" running back Latavius Murray will miss Week 5 with a toe issue, so Washington becomes the lead ball-carrier. Murray was already losing carries to the rookie to begin with. This will be our first chance to see what Washington can do with 10-15 carries and multiple receiving targets. He has a healthy 6.4 Y/A in limited time. The Chargers have been stingy against the run, but have allowed 278 receiving yards and two TD to running backs, which favors a player like Washington.

Philip Rivers (QB, SD) - The Raiders defense is no longer historically bad like they were in the first two games of the season. Still, it can't be ignored that they have allowed more passing yards (1,331) than any other team in the league. Until San Diego can get the ground game going, they will live or die by the arm of Philip Rivers. He remains a high floor player this week.

Derek Carr (QB, OAK) - To be clear, I love Carr and have loved him all season, which is why I own him in nearly every fantasy league I am in. He made a mockery of last week's "tough matchup" against the Ravens defense with four TD. This week, I can unequivocally recommend him as a QB1 against a Chargers team allowing 289.5 passing yards each game. With Latavius Murray on the shelf, the aerial attack will be even more important.

Matchups We Hate

Michael Crabtree (WR, OAK) - No, he won't go for three touchdowns again. That doesn't mean you should automatically bench him, but he may have his hands full this week. Top corner Jason Verrett is out for the season, but Crabtree could see a big dose of Casey Hayward this week, which isn't a good thing. Hayward has been a pleasant surprise, ranking as one of the top cover corners in the league so far. Defenses are learning that Crabtree may be the bigger threat than Amari Cooper at this point and will adjust accordingly. There is no better sell-high candidate than Crabtree entering Week 5. Remember that he has never scored 10 TD in a season and only surpassed the 1,000 yard mark once, back in 2012.

Travis Benjamin (WR, SD) - If you haven't noticed, Oakland's defense isn't as bad as it seemed. The first two weeks were a major wake-up call and the secondary has responded. David Amerson has been PFF's top-rated CB through the first quarter of the season and he could take top receiver Benjamin out of the game. Benjamin remains mostly a deep threat who will contribute little if he can't break one down the field. He shouldn't be considered more than a flex play in deep leagues this week.

Notable Players

Melvin Gordon (RB, SD) - What do you make of a player who went his entire rookie year without a touchdown and now leads the league in scoring? His 3.2 Y/A is ugly and he has only surpassed 80 total yards once in four games. Believe it or not, he is worth starting in standard leagues for his scoring ability alone, but his ceiling remains limited.

 

Bengals @ Cowboys - Sunday 10/9 @ 4:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Cole Beasley (WR, DAL) - Many expected a monster game from Beasley against a weak 49ers defense, but that simply didn't happen. The Cowboys were able to run all over the place with Ezekiel Elliot, so there was little need for a high-volume passing attack. This time Beasley will be counted on to alleviate some of the pass rush that Dak Prescott will face against the Bengals. He isn't worth starting in standard leagues, as he is yet to score a TD this season, but he should have a relatively high floor in PPR formats.

Ezekiel Elliott (RB, DAL) - The Bengals have stiffened against the run the past two weeks after being gashed by Matt Forte and DeAngelo Williams to start the season. They also haven't faced a young, dynamic runner like Elliott yet. The top rookie RB is getting stronger as the year progresses, posting 140 and 138 rushing yards in the last two weeks. As long as he is running behind the best offensive line in football, he is a high-end RB1.

A.J. Green (WR, CIN) - Green has made several tough defenses look foolish so far. Brandon Carr and the Cowboys secondary have little hope of containing him. Green currently leads the league with 32 receptions and should pad that total in a plus matchup.

Matchups We Hate

Giovani Bernard (RB, CIN) - The 'boys have not allowed a receiving TD to a running back yet this year and have limited them to 16 catches for 157 yards over four games. That doesn't play into Bernard's favor. The Bengals may not be in catch-up mode either, so this game flow may favor Jeremy Hill.

Notable Players

Terrance Williams (WR, DAL) - Not much changes with Dez Bryant out for the near future. T-Will is still a boom-or-bust play that will depend on a long score to cash in for fantasy owners. Williams could take advantage of coverage by disappointing Dre Kirkpatrick in his return from injury. Or he could do absolutely nothing as he did in Weeks 1 and 2. If you need a flex play for a deep standard league, take a chance and you may get lucky.

 

Giants @ Packers - Sunday 10/9 @ 8:30 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Odell Beckham Jr. (WR, NYG) - So much to say, so little time. It feels like the OBJ hype to panic to renaissance talk has come full circle already within a week's time. The bottom line is that he remains an elite talent at receiver on a team that will throw the ball plenty, often out of necessity. The running game is still in flux and Green Bay shuts down the run better than anyone this year (42.7 Y/G). You can be sure Eli will make a point to target Beckham early and often. Let me also remind you that after four games last year he had accumulated only four yards more than he has so far this year. All it takes is one big play to turn your fantasy fortunes around. Anyone considering benching OBJ this week needs to take about ten steps back, and reevaluate things for a good long while.

Aaron Rodgers (QB, GB) - The Giants' pass defense is much improved over last year, but ranks as just a middle of the pack group. Believe it or not, Rodgers hasn't thrown for more than 213 yards this season. His 7/1 TD/INT ratio in three games should be enough proof that he is still an elite QB. This game could easily turn into a shootout, at which point it favors the Green Bay offense and Rodgers in particular.

Eli Manning (QB, NYG) - Eli is trending downward, his star receiver is whining, and the running back situation is a mess. After throwing three TD and one INT on opening day, he has reversed that ratio with three picks and just one touchdown in the last three games. Fortunately, the Packers have shown a clear split in his favor - great against the run, bad against the pass. Sam Shields will miss another game due to concussion, while Morgan Burnett and Clay Matthews are questionable. Manning will surely try to get OBJ back on track and should have success doing so.

Matchups We Hate

Sterling Shepard (WR, NYG) - As a slot receiver primarily, the rookie has been excellent this season, piling up 257 yards in the position. He could face a negative matchup this week, however, if paired against Quinten Rollins. While Shepard could be blanketed in the middle of the field, OBJ will be testing a pair of unproven young corners in Ladarius Gunter and Damarious Randall. Favor Beckham, but not Shepard for this game.

Notable Players

Eddie Lacy (RB, GB) - Like Rodgers, running back Eddie Lacy broke a two game mini-slump to start the year with a 103-yard effort. The Giants will present a modest challenge, as they haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher this season, but have given up three rushing TDs. Lacy is always a threat to cross the goal-line, but touchdowns are unpredictable. Lacy is an RB2 with decent upside at home.